Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I am disappointed that Senator Brandis would take this approach, given that he allegedly represents the progressive wing of the Liberal Party. If this is what the progressive wing of the Liberal Party has come to, they clearly are in desperate straits.

It is true that we are accommodating some families who are seeking asylum in this country in that motel. Some people have been there for a number of weeks. The newsworthiness of this surprises me, given that it was on the front page of the Courier-Mail about three weeks ago. Clearly, Senator Brandis and the Liberal Party do not read the Courier-Mail. I confirm that we have been accommodating some asylum seekers, particularly vulnerable groups or families, in motel accommodation—consistent with a long history of the Howard government doing exactly the same. The Howard government accommodated asylum seekers in the Comfort Inn Asti in Darwin for many years. The Howard government accommodated asylum seekers in the Colonial inn in Brisbane. The Howard government accommodated asylum seekers in the Arkaba Hotel in Adelaide. And the Howard government accommodated asylum seekers in Quest apartments in various states. So it may come as a surprise to you, Senator Brandis, but this is long-established government policy for dealing with vulnerable groups and families.

We make no apologies that we do not put children behind barbed wire; we actually try to find appropriate accommodation. In the Howard government’s latter years, you also took to trying to find more appropriate accommodation on some occasions. I am told that in 2004 the Howard government was spending approximately $80,000 per month to house a mother and child in the Arkaba Hotel in Adelaide. So, yes, consistent with past governments’ practice, where appropriate we have accommodated children and their accompanying families in motel accommodation.